France’s ‘nativity wars’ appear to be won by religious supporters after ruling allows Christmas scenes in public places
by Lila Randall, Mailonline:
Religious supporters have won the annual ‘nativity war’ in secular France so people are safe to light up town halls with scenes of baby Jesus.
The debate over whether it is appropriate to decorate public spaces with nativity displays, in a country where sporting religious symbols is banned, occurs most years.
But this year the country’s top administrative court has given the go-ahead after a rapporteur said it was not appropriate to target nativity scenes despite disagreements over secularism.
The ruling comes as free-thought organisations contested displays claiming it breaches France’s 1905 law, called laïcité, on the Separation of Church and State.
But when the matter was brought to the Conseil d’Etat, a body of the French national government, a rapporteur suggested nativity in public spaces should be allowed.
The 1905 law is based on three principles: the neutrality of the state, the freedom of religious exercise and public powers related to the church.
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